Undercover
by a-is-awkward
Summary: AU. Santana Lopez has been hired by crime boss, Johnny Black, as a body guard to his girlfriend, Brittany Pierce. Santana is secretly working undercover to take Johnny and his accomplices down, but much to her surprise, Brittany is not all that she appears to be either.
1. The Meeting

**Rated M for language, violence, and sexual content.**

A/N: Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my fic. I've been wanting to write one involving Brittana for a long time, and now I have the courage and time to do so. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of its characters.

* * *

It's a windy morning in Manhattan as I walk towards a small brownstone building with an inconspicuous sign reading, "Hale Detective Agency" inscribed above the door. I've only been working here for a few years but it's become like a second home to me.

As I enter, I can already see Mark through the glass window of his office door, on the phone, with an annoyed expression on his face. He's a little over six feet tall, slim, yet muscular, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. I'll admit he's handsome although I would never say as much out loud, but he's just not my type.

Even though he's my boss, we're really close. His grandfather opened this agency in the 1970's and the legacy was passed down to him after his father retired a few years ago. We both went to the police academy together and he called me up when there was an opening here.

Mark is one of the few people who can take my snarky comments in stride and reasons with me when I'm being stubborn. We occasionally go out for drinks and swap stories about our latest failures in the dating world.

I decide to check in with him first before heading to my own office. I approach the door and knock lightly. Mark looks up and waves me in, holding up a finger to let me know he'll be finished in a second. When he hangs up, he still looks disgruntled.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"That was Smith, from the NYPD. We thought we had Black this time on a possible drug charge but he slipped away again. I wish we could catch this asshole already, Santana," Mark groans.

"Hey, I'm ready for this case to be over as much as you are. Black covers his tracks well."

Johnny Black. We've been try to shut his drug ring down for nine months now, but still no luck. Every time we get a lead either the evidence falls through or we can't trace the crime directly to Black. Catching some of his men here and there is great but we're trying to shut down the entire operation, and to do that we need to get to the source.

Amongst Mark's scattered papers on his desk lies a picture of Black. He's handsome I guess, in a rugged, bad boy sort of way. In the photo his hair is trimmed short in a buzz cut, with prickles of a full beard and mustache growing in over his prominent jaw. His dark brown eyes glint mischievously and he smirks slightly at the camera.

Just as Mark lets out another groan, his phone rings again. He answers it and is silent for a few moments. He starts smiling and grunts occasionally in approval. He hangs up shortly after and gives me a huge grin.

"Puckerman got you in, " he says.

It takes me a moment to take in the magnitude of this statement but afterwards I'm grinning just as big as Mark is. Noah Puckerman, fondly known as Puck, also works for Hale Detective Agency, but he's been undercover for the past three months as Johnny Black's personal driver. Black took a liking to Puck almost immediately, and asked him a few days ago if he knew of anyone who could be a bodyguard to his girlfriend, Brittany. Black specifically asked for a woman, not trusting a man to be around his girlfriend for such long periods of time.

Puck didn't hesitate to suggest Santana, and after a few days of contemplating it, Black agreed. With both of us snooping around Black's home, we're sure to uncover something eventually.

"This is great! When do I start?" I ask.

"Immediately. The sooner we take this guy down, the better. It would be helpful if you could get some information out of the girl while you're at it," Mark replies.

"I'll try. What name am I going by?"

"Carmen Velez. You're still 25, but you've been working for a security company for four years and come highly recommended," Mark says.

I nod and take the file Mark is handing me containing information on my new identity. I need to memorize this background story in case anyone should ever ask about my personal life. The file also contains information about Black, his recent activities, and a few scarce details on one Brittany S. Pierce.

"You guys couldn't find out much about this girl, huh?" I ask, arching an eyebrow.

"No, she's almost as elusive as Black. We're trying to figure out if she's connected to any of the crimes, that's another reason why we need you to get friendly with her. You can take the rest of the day and tomorrow off to get prepared, you start on Wednesday."

I nod and place the folder under my arm. After a few minutes of unrelated small talk with Mark, I'm walking back to my car, trying to imagine what's going to happen in the next few months.

* * *

The rest of the day and the next is spent mentally preparing myself for what's to come. I read over the file Mark gave me dozens of times until I feel confident that I've memorized it. I'm nervous but mostly excited to have the chance to finally put an end to Black's crime spree.

Puck picks me up from my apartment the next day, on Black's orders. He hasn't changed much since the last time I saw him a few months ago, same ridiculous mohawk, same smug grin.

"What's up _Carmen_?"

"Just drive." I give him an eye roll for good measure.

He smirks even more, but starts the ignition and we're off. He briefs me on his observations about Black and warns me that although he's charming, his temper flares easily. Brittany however, from what he's seen of her, has been nothing but sweet.

"What does she look like?" I ask. I noticed there wasn't a picture of her in my file.

"Hot," Puck replies, while wiggling his eyebrows.

Typical Puck answer. Why did I even ask?

We arrive twenty minutes later at a large, tan, family house with three floors and a winding driveway. The front yard is neatly trimmed with a fountain placed in the middle. Once we reach the front of the house, I notice two sculptures of angels, one on either side of the front stairs. They aren't like the sculptures I'm used to seeing on the rare Sundays that I'm at church with my abuela, these look menacing.

Puck kills the engine and surprisingly, walks around the car to open my door. Once I'm out, he escorts me up the stairs, and rings the door bell. Shortly after, a chubby older man, in what I assume is some sort of butler's outfit, opens the door. He nods his head at Puck and steps aside to let us in.

I don't have much time to look around as Puck leads me immediately down a side hallway and stops at a wooden door to our left.

"Now remember, just act natural. You'll be fine" he says.

I nod, then he knocks twice quickly, then twice again at a slower pace, before opening the door.

Standing before me is the Johnny Black, but I barely hear Puck's introduction. Next to Black is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and she's smiling bashfully at me. My heart is crashing against my chest, I know they must hear it too, and it has nothing to do with meeting one of the most dangerous drug dealers in New York City.


	2. Warnings

A/N: Thank you for your interest! Brittany may or may not be a criminal mastermind. Who knows? ;)

* * *

"Nice to meet you, Carmen," Johnny says, extending his hand.

I quickly advert my gaze from sparkling blue eyes and give a tight lipped smile to Black.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Black," I reply, shaking his hand.

"Please call me Johnny, or just Black if you prefer," he says, giving my hand a light squeeze.

"Black is fine with me." I quickly glance at the woman again and she's still staring at me with that smile, like we've known each other our whole lives.

I notice she's a few inches taller than me, slim, but her body looks toned through the fabric of her tight sweater and jeans. Her hair is golden, falling in soft curls past her shoulders and her cheeks are lightly flushed as if she just stepped inside from the cold weather. But what's most noticeable are her eyes, the shade of blue I've only seen elsewhere looking out at the ocean from the beaches of Puerto Rico.

"Oh, where are my manners? This is my beautiful girlfriend, Brittany. You'll be getting to know each other a lot better I'm sure. Brittany, meet Carmen."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, Carmen," Brittany says, extending her hand.

"You too," I whisper. I cough, and repeat myself, embarrassed that I've suddenly lost my voice.

Brittany just gives me that smile again.

"Well Carmen, I'm sure Luke has told you how things are run around here."

I look at Puck and he gives me a slight nod. Luke must be his alias. I turn back towards Black and nod, waiting for him to continue.

"I expect you to keep track of Brittany at all times. I assume you have a gun?"

"Yes, of course." I nod again, lifting my shirt a little so that my gun and holster are visible.

"Excellent. I have many enemies and it would be a tragedy if any of them got their hands on my girl."

He gives me a pointed look and I realize that it wouldn't only be a tragedy for Brittany.

"Johnny, stop trying to scare her. Don't listen to him, Carmen. We're going to have a great time," Brittany says.

I give her an uneasy smile and focus my attention back on Black. His hair is a little longer than it was on Mark's picture and his face clean shaven. He's a little taller than Brittany, wearing a navy blue shirt, black dress pants, and polished shoes.

"I just don't want anything happening to you, sweetheart." He gives Brittany's butt a light squeeze and I don't know why the gesture annoys me.

"Luke, will you show Carmen to her room?"

Puck nods but before he can say anything, Brittany has grabbed my hand and is leading me out of the room.

"Don't be silly Johnny, I'll show her. See you later babe! Bye Luke!"

Before I know it we're back in the lobby and Brittany guides me up a staircase to the second floor. I try to ignore this giddy feeling I get just from holding her hand, but I can already feel my professionalism slipping away the longer I touch her.

At the top of the staircase we make a right and walk down a hallway with wood panneling, stopping at the third door on the right.

"Here we are," Brittany says stepping aside. She finally let's go of my hand and I miss the warmth immediately.

"My room is right next to yours," she says pointing to the second door in the hallway.

"And the door on the end is the bathroom. Our rooms have a connecting door, so just knock if you need me. I'll let you get settled. See you in a few," Brittany says.

"Oh, umm yeah thanks," I mumble.

She smiles at me again then enters her room, closing the door softly behind her.

I turn and open the door to my new room. It's a decent sized space with a full sized bed, mahogany dresser, night stand, and vanity table with a mirror. A TV is anchored above the dresser, and a small closet is to my left. To the right, I see the connecting door Brittany was talking about. I make my way to the other side of the room to draw the curtains close on the large bay windows. After a moment I walk back to the bed, lay down, and close my eyes. I suddenly feel exhausted.

A few minutes later there's a knock on the door.

"Come in," I say.

Puck walks in with my bags, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Geez, what did you put in here, bricks?" He tosses the four bags on the floor.

"Hey, be careful with that! And I don't know how long I'll be here so I want to be prepared," I whisper the last part.

"I guess. How are things so far? She's hot right?" Puck smirks.

"Ugh, you're such a perv."

"You still didn't answer my question. I saw the way you were looking at her."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say, rolling my eyes. The last thing I need is Puck taunting me for however long we'll be on this mission.

"Yeah yeah. Just remember to be careful. We don't need to add your death to the list of Black's crimes," Puck says pointing his finger at me.

"Alright, fine," I say putting my hands up. It's no secret around the agency that I'm into women, a small detail Puck conveniently forgot to mention to Black, and for my safety, one I hope he never finds out about.

Puck never misses a chance to suggest a threesome though when I'm around, or beg for details of my latest hook up. Even with his gross comments, he and the other guys at work are pretty understanding about the whole thing.

"Okay, I've got to go. Black needs me to drive him somewhere for business. Later," Puck says as he walks out.

I'm too tired to ask for details, so I just wave and shut the door behind him. I contemplate unpacking for a moment but decide to flop back on the bed instead. Just as I'm drifting off I hear a soft knock on the connecting door.

I sit up and instinctively reach for my gun, but then I remember that Brittany said she would stop by later. I relax and wipe some invisible dirt off of my shirt.

"Come in."

Brittany enters, closing the door behind her, and smiles.

"Can I join you?"

I look around realizing that there's nowhere else to sit except next to me on the bed. I swallow the lump that's suddenly formed in my throat. This job might be harder than I thought.


	3. A Piece to the Puzzle

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favs!

* * *

I blink a few times before answering her.

"Uh, yeah sure."

It's a small bed but I try to move over as far as I can. Even still, she sits close enough that our thighs are touching. Her perfume invades my senses, vanilla, coconut, and something else. She leans back a little and my eyes travel right to her chest.

Jesus.

I flush and look away, hoping she didn't notice. I've got to be more careful with my leering. After a moment I look back at her face and I'm met with a knowing smirk.

"So what's it like being a bodyguard? Pretty dangerous I guess, huh?" she asks tilting her head.

"Yeah it's dangerous, but rewarding too. I get to protect people, plus carry around a cool gun." I point at the gun on my hip and let out a nervous chuckle.

Why am I so flustered?

"Have you ever killed someone?"

The question catches me off guard. I look back at her but her face remains impassive.

"No, not yet at least."

She nods giving me a solemn look. I don't want to get into the politics of my pretend job so I try to lighten the mood.

"So what do you do? Let me guess…modeling?" I give her a slight smirk and she chuckles.

"Actually, I'm a photographer. It works out great because I make my own hours and I only focus on a small group of clients. I like my work to be personal…I'd like to shoot you sometime," she says, almost as an afterthought.

My heart stops and now she's smirking.

"Not what you were expecting, huh?"

I clear my throat and try to compose myself before answering.

"No, I mean yes, I'm surprised. I thought you would be into something a little more, uh, physical," I mumble.

Great, now you've practically admitted that you've been checking out her body.

She looks down and there's a slight tint to her cheeks.

"Well, I do dance in my spare time. I was serious about it up until college when I realized that I didn't want to pursue it as a career. I was more passionate about art," she says, shrugging her shoulders.

"My friend Mike owns a dance company downtown and sometimes I dance there and even do a little choreography. Nothing too serious, it's just for fun. Mike and I danced together in our school's glee club."

That catches my attention.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a singer." This girl is full of surprises.

"Well, I didn't sing much. We had some really talented people who had that covered. I mostly danced in the background and came up with some of the choreography. I even got to do a few solos," she says, giving me a shy smile.

"I'm sure you were amazing." Her smile widens and I look away, suddenly embarrassed.

"If it makes you feel any better, I was in the choir growing up. We even won a few competitions," I say.

"Really? I would love to hear you sing!"

"What? Right now?"

Brittany nods her head enthusiastically. "Sure, why not?"

I shake my head. "I don't know, maybe another time? I still get kind of nervous singing in front of people I don't know."

"Alright, but I'm not going to forget," Brittany says pointing her finger at me.

I nod. After a beat I decide to ask her what I've been thinking about since I got here. "So, what's Black like?" I look back up and notice her smile has faded a little.

"Johnny is…intense. He can be a hot head but he's still very charming. He's generous to the people he cares about, and lethal to those he doesn't. I probably wouldn't be dating him if it wasn't for my father introducing us, and being so adamant about us getting to know each other."

This is new information. My file never mentioned anything about Brittany's father.

"Wait, your father knew Black? From where?" Does he have anything to do with the drug ring?

Just as she's about to answer, there's a knock on the door.

"Miss Velez?"

I let out a frustrated sigh. Just when we were getting somewhere.

"Yes?"

The door opens and I see the older, chubby man who opened the front door when Puck and I arrived.

"Hello. Oh, Ms. Pierce is here too, wonderful! Mr. Black requests both of you in the dining room, dinner is ready."

"Thanks Nick," Brittany says.

Nick gives a slight bow and closes the door. I turn to face Brittany.

"Luke just told me that he had an errand to run for Black. They're done so soon?"

Brittany shrugs. "Maybe something went wrong," she replies, her tone ominous.

I feel the blood drain from my face. This can't be good.

* * *

Brittany walks down the main staircase and I follow closely behind. She makes a left and enters a room I didn't notice when I first got here.

There's a long, mahogany table, large enough to seat twelve, accompanied with matching chairs. Above it hangs a crystal chandelier, and I can't help but notice the light bouncing off of it makes Brittany eyes sparkle. Focus, Santana.

Seated at one end of the table is Black and another man with blond hair. As we approach, they both stand and I notice the blond haired man has the same startling blue eyes as Brittany. This must be her father.

"Hello ladies. Carmen, I'd like you to meet Jim Pierce. Jim, this is Carmen, Brittany's new bodyguard," Black says.

"It's nice to meet you Carmen. I'm trusting you to take care of my little girl," Jim says, extending his hand.

"Dad," Brittany groans, shaking her head.

"I'll try my best Mr. Pierce," I say glancing at Brittany. She smiles.

"Please, call me Jim." I nod and we all take a seat, Brittany next to me and Jim on the other side of the table, next to Black.

"So why are you here Daddy?"

"Oh, I just had to discuss some business with Johnny here," Jim replies.

Before Jim can elaborate Nick appears from a side door which must lead to the kitchen. This guy has the worst timing. He pushes out a cart with four plates on top. Each plate contains what looks like a few slices of rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and string beans. We begin eating, while Black and Jim talk quietly amongst themselves, stopping occasionally to take a bite of food. Suddenly I feel something nudge my foot under the table. I turn towards Brittany and she has a playful smirk on her face.

"Don't mind my father and Johnny, they always do this,"

"Do what?"

"Talk about boring business stuff," Brittany says, rolling her eyes.

"How does your father know Black again?"

"My dad is a chemist and he teaches at Benson College. Johnny is one of his old students," Brittany replies.

"Black majored in chemistry?"

"He was a business major, but he took chemistry to fulfill his requirements. By the end of the semester my father had taken a liking to him and they've been friends ever since."

I nod, focusing back on my food. I think I've found a new piece to this puzzle. I suddenly remember that Black was finished with his errand pretty quickly and I want to question him about it.

"So Black, where's Luke? He left kind of suddenly," I ask.

"Yes, Luke was going to drive me to meet a client but when I heard Jim was coming over, I rescheduled. I told Luke to take the rest of the night off," Black replies, with a smile.

I smile back, showing no teeth. This guy creeps me out.

Dinner continues without incident, Jim and Black whisper to each other while Brittany and I exchange small talk. After awhile the talking slows down and Jim pushes his chair out.

"Well, I hate to leave but I'm dead tired. It was a busy day at work and hopefully I can get a good night's sleep. I hope you all have a good evening," Jim says, standing up. He walks around the table and gives Brittany a kiss on the cheek, and me a firm handshake.

"I'll walk you out, Jim. Ladies, feel free to finish eating," Black says winking at us.

You're nice guy act isn't fooling anyone, I mumble to myself as I give him another fake smile. As the two exit the room, I feel Brittany's eyes on me. I turn slightly, facing her.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

"No…I'm just glad that you're here," Brittany says quietly.

I smile. "Me too, Brittany."

We walk back to our room in a comfortable silence, lost in our own thoughts. When we reach Brittany's door she turns and faces me.

"I had fun tonight. It can get lonely when I'm here and Johnny is off on one of his business meetings," Brittany says.

"I had fun too. I'm not much of a people person but dinner was nice." There's a long pause.

"Well, I guess I'll uh, see you tomorrow," I mumble.

She looks at me like she wants to say more but after a moment she nods. "Yeah, see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night." Brittany opens her door, turns around and looks at me again, before closing it.

I enter my room, shutting the door softly behind me. I make my way to the bed slowly and flop down. Immediately my eyes close and thoughts of today's events replay in my mind, like a movie in slow motion. Jim seems like a nice guy but I can't shake the feeling that he's wrapped up in this case too. He's hiding something and I intend to find out what it is, I just really hope Brittany is not involved.

* * *

The next morning, Black tells me to accompany Brittany on a trip to the mall. I shower, get dressed, and an hour later, Brittany and I are in the backseat of a sleek, black, Mercedes-Benz CLS, with Puck behind the wheel. While Brittany is looking out of the window I secretly watch her. Today she has her hair pulled back in a pony tail, with a loose fitting green shirt, tight jeans, and white sneakers. After a moment, she looks at me.

"Have you ever been to River Stock Mall?"

"Once or twice, but it's been awhile," I reply.

"Well, I need new clothes and by the looks of it, so do you," Brittany says with a smirk.

"What's wrong with what I have on?" I look down at my standard black shirt and khaki pants.

She giggles. "You need something more exciting if you're going to be hanging around me. That outfit does nothing to flatter your body."

"Who am I showing off my body for?"

She shrugs and looks away. A light tint has appeared on her cheeks. I want to ask more but at that moment Puck pulls up to a stop at the mall.

"Okay, ladies you have two hours, meet me back here at one," Puck says.

We get out of the car but as Brittany starts walking towards the mall, I lag behind to have a quick word with Puck.

"Where are you going after this?"

"Black wants me to drive him to meet that client that we were supposed to see last night," Puck replies.

"Ok, let me know if you see anything suspicious and be safe," I say punching him lightly on the arm.

"Yeah yeah, look you're keeping Brittany waiting," he says waving me away.

I look up and see that she is waiting for me at the entrance. I roll my eyes at Puck and jog over to Brittany.

* * *

"Ooh Carmen, that's a really cute top! You should get it," Brittany says.

I hold up the short sleeved, red shirt with a v-neck cut. I guess she's right, red sort of is my color.

"Let's go to the dressing room and you can try on these jeans too," Brittany says, holding up a pair of black skinny jeans.

I raise my eyebrow but take the jeans anyway as we make our way to the back of store where the dressing rooms are.

"You go ahead, I'll wait here for you with the bags. Come out when you're finished," Brittany says giving me a small smile.

"Okay, I'll be right back." I check my watch and see we have about twenty minutes until Puck comes to pick us up.

Shopping with Brittany was actually fun. We went to several clothing stores, a jewelry store, and discovered at the food court that we both like cinnamon raisin pretzels.

Once I'm dressed I examine myself in the dressing room mirror. The shirt fits well and shows off a little cleavage while the pants cling to my hips. I walk out of the dressing room to get Brittany's opinion.

"What do you think?"

Brittany jumps a little, startled by my voice, but a second later her eyes are slowly roaming up and down my body. I suddenly feel a lot more self conscious and start fidgeting with my hands. After what feels like a lifetime she speaks.

"You look great," she says after clearing her throat.

"Thanks…so you think I should buy them?"

"Definitely," Brittany says finally meeting my eyes.

"Ok, I'll go change, buy this stuff, and then we can go meet Luke."

She nods and I spin around, walking quickly back to the dressing room. The whole time I feel like her eyes are on my ass.

* * *

Puck pulls up to the mall entrance, right on time, but though the window I can see that he's not wearing his usual smirk. We sit down and close the doors and he gives us a clipped hello before driving off. The ride back is quiet as we reach Black's home fifteen minutes later. Brittany gets out, grabbing her bags and starts walking towards the stairs. I wait for Puck and we talk when Brittany is a safe distance away.

"What happened? Why are you in such a foul mood?"

"Something went bad with the meeting. I didn't exactly see what happened because I was in the car. Black and two of his friends went in this warehouse on Fisher Avenue. There was a lot of noise at one point and then Black came jogging out with his two buddies behind him, about an hour after they went in. He told me to drop him off back here quickly, and by that time I had to come pick you girls up. "

"Did you call Mark and let him know what happened?"

"Yeah, I called him and gave him directions to the warehouse. He said he would let me know as soon as he could if they found anything there," Puck says as we reach the front door to the house.

When we enter I see that Brittany has disappeared, but Black has just walked in the lobby.

"Carmen, Luke," Black says in a clipped tone, nodding at us both. Black is wearing a light grey suit today with a white shirt, but as he walks past I see speckles of what looks like dried blood on one sleeve of his shirt, and on the jacket of his suit, yet I can't see any visible wounds.

I look at Puck and he seems to be thinking the same thing, it's not Black's blood.


	4. Late Night Dip

By the time I turn around to get another look at Black, he's gone.

"Shit," Puck says scratching his mohawk.

"We have to try and get that shirt," I whisper, looking around for any signs of Black.

Puck nods in agreement. Suddenly, his phone starts vibrating in his pocket. He pulls it out and checks the screen.

"It's Mark. I better answer this outside," he says, walking out the front door.

While he's talking, I decide to go upstairs to check on Brittany.

Once I get to her door I knock and wait a few seconds, but no one answers.

"Brittany?"

Still nothing. Shit.

Technically, I'm off duty while we're in the house but I still feel obligated to know where she is. That's when I notice there's a note sticking on the door.

_Carmen, I'm going for a run on the treadmill downstairs. Be back soon. -Brittany_

I breathe a sigh of relief but it doesn't last for long when I realize I still don't know if Black has a laundry room in this house or not. I don't even know how to get downstairs to find Brittany either and Puck is probably still on the phone. Maybe that Nick guy can help me.

I go back downstairs and peek out the front door to see what Puck is doing. He's perched on the edge of the fountain with his back facing me, phone in hand. Great. I guess I'll look for Nick then.

I walk to the kitchen and the dining room but find them both deserted. Nearly all of the other doors on this floor are locked, including Black's study. When I'm about to give up I find a door that's unlocked, with stairs leading down to what I assume is the basement.

I slowly make my way down the stairs, listening for any signs that someone is coming. When I reach the bottom, I enter a spacious white hallway with two cream colored doors on each side, and what appears to be a large glass window on the left side, followed by a glass door. I hear a low thumping sound coming from the first door closest to me, so I turn the knob quietly and enter.

Thankfully, inside is a laundry room. The washing machine is making that thumping noise and I peer through the glass to see if Black's shirt is inside. The spinning distorts everything but I distinctly remember Black's shirt being white and these are all colored clothes.

Just as I'm standing up I hear a deep voice say, "What are you doing?"

I jump and turn around to find Brittany with a playful grin on her face.

"Jesus, Brittany!"

"Sorry, it was just too easy," she replies between laughs.

I smile back but my heart is still racing in my chest. It's then that I notice she's wearing a tight, grey tank top that shows off the toned muscles of her stomach, along with black shorts. All of her exposed skin has a light sheen of sweat to it.

"Hey, eyes up here."

My eyes snap back to her face and now she's smirking. "I'm just kidding, Carmen."

"Umm yeah, sorry, it's just that you scared me," I mumble.

"Yeah, the gym is at the end of the hallway, the glass door on the left. I was heading back upstairs when I saw this door was open."

"Oh ok, cool."

"So…were you coming down here to look for me?" Brittany asks with a hopeful smile.

"Kind of, I was also looking to see if there was a laundry room, but I couldn't find Nick and I wasn't exactly sure where the gym was either," I reply.

"Oh, that's right, you really haven't seen the whole house yet. Well, you can do your laundry here whenever and I can give you a grand tour of the rest of the house later. Sound good?"

"Yeah, sure…do you and Black do your laundry down here too?"

"Usually I do my laundry at home and Johnny mostly has Nick take his stuff to get dry cleaned. I had a few things that needed to be washed here though, so I just put them in," Brittany says pointing to the washing machine that's on.

Damn it. That explains why I couldn't find Nick, he's probably at the dry cleaner's as we speak. Wait…did she say she washes clothes at home?

"But I thought you lived here?"

"No, I stay here sometimes but I have my own apartment, about fifteen minutes away. Sometimes Johnny comes over but it's just easier for me to come here since he's been working a lot lately," Brittany replies.

I bet he has, being a drug lord is a full time job.

"So, do you want to cool off with me?" Brittany asks, raising her eyebrow suggestively.

I feel my mouth dry instantly. Is she flirting with me? Or did I miss something? My confusion must show because she giggles.

"There's a pool in the back yard. Do you want to join me?"

Oh. Of course.

"I, uh didn't bring a bathing suit."

"Don't worry, you can borrow one of mine. I'm sure you'll look great in anything."

I feel my cheeks heating up.

"Umm sure, I just have to go talk to um, Luke for a second."

"Ok, I'll see you in a few," Brittany replies with a wink.

After she leaves, I take a deep breath and exhale. She's not flirting with you, she just wants to go swimming. She's probably not into women anyway. I shake my head and go upstairs to find Puck.

He's waiting for me in my room.

"Geez _Carmen_, took you long enough. Where did you go?"

"Keep your voice down, will you? I was trying to find the laundry room but it turns out Black gets his stuff dry cleaned anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if he burned that shirt though. What did Mark say?'"

"They found traces of blood at the warehouse and they handed it over to the police so it could be tested. Hopefully we'll find a match," Puck replies.

I nod. Still, without finding a body we can't really charge Black with anything.

"Well, I'm off for the rest of the day, so I'm going to the agency. I'll call you with any news. Later," Puck says, walking out.

"Later."

Soon after, there's a light knock on the connecting door.

"Come in."

Brittany enters holding a red bikini set and a striped towel in her hands.

"Sorry, this is the best I could find. It's small on me but it might still work out," Brittany says handing it to me.

"Thanks."

She doesn't make any attempts to move, just looks at me expectantly.

"Looking for a striptease?" I ask her with my smirk in full effect.

"Oh, sorry I'm going to uh, change too. Be right back," Brittany says in a rush, closing the door behind her.

Nice to know I'm not the only one who gets nervous.

A few minutes later and I'm tightening the knot on this bikini top. I walk to the vanity mirror and do a little spin.

I look good.

My breasts are a little bigger than Brittany's and it was already small on her, so the top draws more attention to the twins. The bottoms are low enough to reveal the cross tattooed on my lower back but high enough to not expose anything.

"Brittany, are you ready yet?"

"Yeah, I'm coming now."

Wanky.

She opens the door and it takes all of my will power to refrain from drooling on the spot. She's wearing an electric blue one-piece that matches her eyes perfectly. It exposes slivers of her stomach, while hiding other parts due to the "x" pattern on her torso.

When I finally meet her eyes she staring intensely at my chest. I feel bold and can't help the next words that come out of my mouth.

"Like what you see?"

She immediately looks up and let's out a nervous chuckle.

"Uh, yeah you look good. I mean, the bikini looks good on you."

"Thanks, Britt."

She smiles at the nickname.

"You called me Britt."

"Oh, uh…sorry, Brittany."

"No, don't apologize, I like it," she says, as her smile widens.

"Ok cool…so should we get going then, Britt?"

She takes a moment to answer because her eyes are on my chest again. She realizes she's been caught for the second time and looks away, her cheeks flushing.

"Right. Follow me."

We make our way downstairs towards the back of the house where Brittany unlocks the door leading to the yard. I opened this door earlier on my quest for the laundry room but didn't bother to observe the view once I realized it led outside.

I'm glad I waited because it's absolutely beautiful right now.

It's almost sunset and the sky is filled with hues of pink and orange. Since it's nearing the end of June it's still sunny and warm out here even though it's well after 8pm.

There's a deck attached to the house, overlooking a manicured lawn and a huge pool accompanied by a circular jacuzzi.

"Wow," is the only thing I can manage to say.

"I know, right? I love coming out here. C'mon, let's get in!"

We walk down the stairs of the patio to the pool, our hands accidentally brushing in the process.

"Is the water cold?" I ask when we reach the pool's edge.

"Shouldn't be, since it's a heated pool but there's only one way to find out."

Before I can ask her to explain, I'm in midair before hitting the water with a hard smack. I open my eyes underwater and see Brittany's lithe form dive in after me. We both swim to the surface and I'm gasping for air, while Brittany can't stop laughing.

"What the hell, Britt?"

"You…should've seen…your face. Priceless," she manages to get out between laughs.

I want to be mad at her for ruining my hair and getting me soaked but I can't help but grin instead.

The rest of the evening passes with us splashing water at each other, racing from one end of the pool to the other, and trying to dunk each other underwater.

We take a break to go inside and Brittany fixes us both grilled cheese sandwiches with fries. I go upstairs to grab my phone, but there's no missed calls or texts from Puck or Mark.

By the time I go back outside, Brittany is waiting for me in the jacuzzi, holding up a bottle of Smirnoff and two shot glasses.

It doesn't take long before half of the bottle is gone.

I think I can hold my liquor a little better than Britt, but we're both giggling at the silliest things. After awhile, she stops laughing and just looks at me. Her eyes take her time traveling up my body, from what she can see of my chest above the water, to finally stop at my face.

"You're hot," she blurts out.

My eyes widen. Wasn't expecting that.

It takes me a moment to recover but I try to stay cool.

"Hotter than Johnny?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.

She nods. "Maybe even hotter than me," she replies wiggling her eyebrows.

We start giggling again but it's short lived. She's staring at me again like she wants to talk but something's holding her back.

"It's more than that though," she says finally.

This jacuzzi is big enough to seat around eight people but now she's moved close enough that our thighs are touching.

"I like you."

I inhale sharply through my nose. I want to respond with something sweet in return but it's not that simple. Maybe it's all the alcohol in my system but I decide to speak honestly.

"I like you too, Britt…but we can't."

Despite my protest, she starts leaning in closer, and I make no attempts to stop her.

"I know," she says and I feel her breath against my lips.

All I want to do is close the last few inches that separates our lips, but I know I can't. Despite the fact that she has a boyfriend, I can't get involved with a possible suspect. It could potentially screw up this case and we've worked too hard on it to let my attraction get in the way.

With Brittany's lips only a few centimeters away, I hear a loud buzzing noise. It snaps us both out of our trance, and Brittany looks away, her ears and cheeks both flushed.

I see it's my phone buzzing from a small table a few feet away, on the lawn.

I get out of the jacuzzi as quickly as I can, wiping my hands on my towel on the way out.

"Hello?"

"Santana? It's Mark. We found a match for the blood. Can you talk?"

I look back at Brittany and she gives me a shy smile back.

I raise my finger, telling her I'll be back and start walking, further out into the lawn.

I can't tell if I'm more relieved or disappointed at not kissing her.


	5. Dead End

I've walked about twenty yards before I feel comfortable enough to talk to Mark without being overheard. I look up and Brittany is watching me but averts her eyes when she realizes I caught her staring.

"Okay, I can talk now. What happened, Mark?"

"We've traced the blood to José Cortez. He's a known drug dealer in the area and has been in and out of jail for the past five years."

"Do you think he's still alive?"

"That's what we need to find out. You're not working for Black tomorrow, right?"

"No." The weekends are supposed to be my days off from my real job and my fake one.

"Great. It would really mean a lot if you would come with me to check out Cortez's house."

"Say please."

I can hear him groaning over the phone. I love messing with him.

"Pretty please, Santana. It would bring me great joy if I were graced by your presence tomorrow."

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it? Anything for you, boss."

"Yeah yeah. Meet me at the agency at 11."

"Will do."

"Oh, and I also want to hear how you're making out with Brittany Pierce too, when I see you."

We weren't making out! Oh, he meant my progress with her…as far as the case. Right.

"Uh, yeah, we'll uh…talk tomorrow…about her."

"Alright weirdo, get some sleep. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you."

I hang up the phone and start making my way back to the jacuzzi. When I reach it, Brittany gives me a timid smile.

"Who was that?"

"Oh, no one, just a friend."

"A boyfriend?" she blurts out, with a strained voice.

Is she jealous?

"No, not a boyfriend, just a friend…I, uh, I don't date boys."

I look into her eyes to gauge her reaction, but she doesn't seemed surprised at all, and gives me a huge grin instead.

"I knew you were a unicorn," she says.

Huh?

"I'm a unicorn too. Well, more like a bi-corn."

A bi-corn…oh, like bisexual? So, unicorn must mean gay. Ha ha. Cute.

Now I'm grinning just as hard as she is.

"Does Black know this about you? I mean, since he's your boyfriend and all."

"Yeah, he does. I wouldn't say he was crazy about it when I first told him, but he's learned to accept it."

I nod. Maybe he isn't such a piece of shit after all. Nah, he totally is.

"Well, not that I'm ashamed or anything, but could we keep this between us two, Britt? I just like to keep my personal life separate."

"Uh huh. Yet…you still told me."

I nod again.

"I trust you."

And I need you to trust me too, so I can save you when the shit hits the fan.

She's blushing again for the millionth time tonight.

"Your secret is safe with me, Carmen. Now do you mind if we go inside now? I'm getting tired and my hands look like prunes."

"Yeah, of course, Britt."

We gather up the few items that are scattered around the jacuzzi and walk slowly towards the house. The whole time I can't stop thinking about our almost kiss.

* * *

When we got to our rooms, I wanted to hug Brittany goodnight, but chickened out and gave her an awkward wave instead.

Luckily, she's braver than I am and pulled me close, pressing my body against hers. I told her I wouldn't be around on the weekends and Black had a replacement body guard in my absence, but assured her I would be back on Monday.

She whispered in my ear that she would miss me, before letting me go and entering her room, closing the door softly behind her.

I stared at her door for a moment, thinking about all that has happened today. I can't let things get any deeper than they already have. On Monday, I'll set it straight.

* * *

I wake up at nine the next morning, still in Black's house. Since Puck was my ride here and he left yesterday, I call a cab back to my apartment. There's just enough time for me to shower, get changed, and eat before driving down to the agency to meet Mark.

I get there right on time, and Mark is already waiting for me in his car.

"Nice to see you, Lopez."

"Ditto, Mr. Hale. Now, let's get this over with," I say, donning my black sunglasses.

Twenty minutes later, we're pulling up to a small, tan house in a rougher side of town. There's a Honda parked in the driveway so someone has to be home. Mark gets out of the car and I follow closely behind as we make our way up the few stairs leading to Cortez's home.

Mark rings the doorbell and we wait. After a minute a short, petite woman with long black hair opens the door.

"Yes?"

"Hello Ma'am, I'm Detective Hale and this is Detective Lopez," Mark says, and we both flash our badges.

"We need to speak to José Cortez. Is he home?"

"No, he isn't. I'm his wife, Nina. What's this about?"

"We just need to ask him a few questions. When was the last time you saw him?"

"He came in early this morning, around 2am and left before I woke up."

I'm relieved, at least he's alive.

"Do you know where we might find him?"

"Check The Bull, it's a bar a few minutes away from here. He hangs around there more often than I like."

"Thank you so much, Ms. Cortez," Mark says, giving her a slight bow.

I nod goodbye and she does the same before closing the door.

Once we're back inside the car, I pull up The Bull's address on my phone and we're off. When we arrive, I almost think we're at the wrong place because this building looks abandoned, but there's a faded sign hanging above the door with the bar's name, in what was once gold letters.

The bar hasn't seen a fresh coat of paint in years and some of the windows are boarded up. Mark takes the lead again as we cautiously approach it. He opens the door and we try to look casual as we scope out the place.

It isn't as filthy inside as I imagined, but it could still use a good scrubbing. The place smells strongly of cigarettes, and there's already a few guys drinking hard liquor at the bar even though it's still early in the afternoon. Towards the back, there's a pool table with two guys playing, one of whom looks exactly like the picture of Cortez that Mark showed me in the car.

I nudge Mark and point to Cortez. He nods and we walk over there.

"Let me do the talking," Mark whispers, right before we reach Cortez.

"José Cortez?"

Cortez doesn't look up from his game until after he takes his shot, sinking a red ball into the pocket.

"Yeah, what is it?"

It's then that I notice the skin around one of his eyes is bruised and his upper lip his been recently cut.

"I'm Detective Hale, and this is Detective Lopez. Could we go somewhere private to talk?"

"Anything you have to say, you can say it right here," Cortez replies finally looking at us.

Mark hesitates for a moment before diving in.

"We found traces of your blood at a warehouse on Fisher Avenue yesterday, after getting a call that there was a disturbance at that location."

"Uh huh, and?"

"And we're just trying to get a clearer picture of what happened and why you were there...bleeding."

Cortez says nothing for a few moments as he hits another ball into the hole.

"Me and a friend had a little disagreement but it's settled now, no need for you to get involved."

Mark looks at me and I shake my head. There's more to the story but I doubt Cortez will explain it to us.

"Well, here's my card. Let me know if you change your mind," Mark says, reaching in his breast pocket to hand Cortez his card.

Cortez takes it, puts it in his back pocket, and continues on with his game.

Once we realize he isn't going to say anything else, Mark and I leave The Bull with no more evidence against Black than when we came.

* * *

Mark drives us back to the agency and on the way, we discuss Cortez.

"You think he's involved in selling the drugs too?" I ask.

"Probably. He definitely isn't telling us the whole story, but with Black's reputation, I don't blame him. Black most likely got one of his goons to rough Cortez up and maybe got a few jabs in himself. I just wish we knew why."

We continue our discussion, hashing out details about how Cortez and Black are connected. After twenty minutes of talking in the car outside of the agency, we part ways.

Mark is going to gather as much information on Cortez as he can and I have to continue observing Black…and Brittany. In his rush to dig into Cortez's file, Mark forgot to ask me how things are going with her. I would be lying if I said I wasn't relieved.

My emotions are all over the place when it comes to Brittany, and I doubt I would've been able to piece together a coherent sentence to explain what I was feeling to Mark. Yes, she's beautiful, carefree, and has this certain innocence that I've never encountered in another person. But I also get the feeling that she knows more than she let's on, how much she knows, I still can't figure out.

I groan in frustration. I realize I'm still parked in front of the agency and have been for the past ten minutes. I roll my eyes and start the ignition, might as well enjoy the rest of my weekend.

* * *

At home, I make myself a BLT and grab some Lays chips from out of the kitchen cabinet. When I turn on the TV, there's a Fast and Furious marathon on FX. It's just the right amount of action and explosions to take my mind off a certain someone.

Three hours later, I'm nodding off. I turn the volume down and fluff the pillow, making myself comfortable on the couch for a much deserved nap.

It seems as if no time has passed at all before I'm being dragged from the haze of sleep by a loud vibration. I know it's my phone and I want to ignore it, but it could be Mark or Puck calling about a lead on the case.

I slowly push myself up and reach for phone, sitting on the coffee table a few feet away.

"Hello?"

"Yo, Lopez!"

Ugh, it's Puck but judging by the yelling and old country music in the background, it sounds like he's at Holly's. It's a bar that we go to to sometimes, run by an eccentric woman named Holly Holiday. What a name, right?

"I'm at Holly's with a few of the guys from work. You want to join?"

"What time is it?" I ask, rubbing my eyes.

"It's only 9 o'clock. Don't tell be you're in bed already."

I look at my cable box and see that he's telling the truth. The Fast and Furious marathon is still going strong too.

"I'm not really in the mood, Puck. It's been a long day. Did Mark tell you about our dead end?"

"Yeah, we talked. That's even more reason for you to come out tonight! We could get wasted, hit up a club later, and sleep it off tomorrow before looking at Black's ugly face on Monday."

As tempting as it sounds, I'm just not in the mood to party right now. God forbid I start crying and telling Puck all about my confusion over Brittany. I wouldn't hear the end of it.

"I'm going to pass this time, Puck. Just take a shot of tequila for me?"

"Alright grandma, I'll see you on Monday. Later!"

"Bye."

I flop back down on the couch, contemplating on whether or not I want to watch this movie or go back to sleep. My phone starts vibrating again and I pick it up without looking at the caller id.

"Ugh, I told you I don't want to go out tonight!"

"Who said anything about going out?"

My heart stops dead in my chest. I would know that voice anywhere.

"Brittany?"

"No, it's the bogeyman," she deadpans.

I can't help but chuckle.

"Hey, how did you even gets this number?"

"I just told Johnny I had something I wanted to ask you. He has all of his employee's phone numbers on file."

"Oh, okay. It's good that you have my number anyway in case something happens."

"Yeah, and now you have mine too."

"Right. So…what is it that you wanted to ask me?"

She hesitates for a moment. "How was your day?"

I laugh harder this time. "You went through all of that trouble just to ask how my day was?"

"Yep."

I feel myself smiling as I answer. She's so cute.

"Today was fine, Britt. I just hung out around the house." And thought about you. "What did you do?"

"I went for a run outside, since it was so nice today, then I went to my studio and worked on a few photos, before coming back here and watching Fast and Furious."

"No way, where you watching the marathon on FX?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I was watching it too, well before I fell asleep."

We both giggle and fall into a comfortable silence. As much as it pains me to do it, I know we have to talk about what happened in the jacuzzi last night.

"Britt, when I get back over there can we talk?"

"We're talking right now, silly."

"I know, but I rather say what I need to say in person."

"You want to talk about last night."

It's not a question. Does that mean she meant to almost kiss me?

"Yeah…do you remember everything that happened."

"Yes," she answers immediately.

Shit. A part of me was hoping that she didn't. That would make this a lot less awkward.

"Okay, well umm, we'll talk about it when I see you."

"How about you come by tomorrow?"

"Is Johnny going to be there?"

"He left this afternoon and said he'd be back tomorrow night."

The last thing I need is to be alone in the house with her. Although, if Johnny isn't around, maybe I can break into his study while Brittany is distracted.

"Please, Carmen. I need you here if any ninjas come and try to abduct me."

"What about the other bodyguard that's there now?"

"He looks like a bear and smells like Axe body spray."

I smile and feel the last of my resolve crumble.

"Sure, Britt. I'll be there sometime in the afternoon."

"Yay! Okay, I'll let you get back to sleeping. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Britt."

I hang up and put my head in my hands. What am I getting myself into?

After staring at the screen for a moment, I turn the TV off and head into my bedroom to change. Once I've finished brushing my teeth and washing my face, I lay down and close my eyes, but sleep doesn't come easily.

The last thing I remember before drifting off are startling blue eyes and soft pink lips.


	6. Ms Professional

A/N: Thanks a lot for the reviews, favorites, and follows. They really make my day! :D

* * *

I wake up early the next morning, taking a quick shower and skipping breakfast, before racing to see Brittany in my sleek, black Audi. I get there in no time and ring the doorbell, tapping my foot in excitement.

Brittany takes a while to answer but I try to stay patient. When she opens the door, she's rubbing her eyes, wearing a thin, white tank top and boy shorts.

"Carmen, what are you doing here so early? I thought-"

I don't give her time to finish, silencing her with my lips. It's a quick kiss; I don't want to dive in until we're safely in her bedroom.

When I pull back she looks stunned, but smiles after a beat. She pulls me inside and I shut the door behind us.

We stare at each other for a moment before I grab her hand and sprint up the main staircase, to her room.

As soon as her bedroom door is shut I have her pinned against it, slowly kissing up her neck. She moans and her hands tangle in my hair. I get more aggressive, adding an occasional bite before sucking on the same spot gently.

When I reach her lips, I slow down, kissing softly, trying to savor the moment. She mimics me, our lips in sync. After a while, I slip my tongue into her mouth, meeting no resistance. Her taste still has the sourness of sleep but I don't mind, it feels like I've been waiting all my life to kiss her. I make sure to explore every inch of her warm, slick mouth and I feel her hum in pleasure.

She walks me backwards to her bed, and I fall once the back of my knees hit the mattress. She tops me and starts running her fingers slowly up my sides and stomach, until she reaches my breasts, squeezing them hard.

Now I'm moaning.

Before I let her gain too much control, I flip her over and start sliding my hands up her thighs, under her shorts.

"I want you so bad, Carmen. Please, just fuck me. "

I smirk, pleased at how ready she is. I try to move my hands to continue teasing but something is stopping me. This doesn't feel right.

"It's Santana."

"What?"

"My name…it's Santana."

"What are you talking about, Carmen?"

"Stop calling me that! I'm trying to tell you something!"

Brittany unexpectedly tries to flip me back over and I lose my balance, falling to the floor, and jolting awake.

I blink slowly, adjusting to the sudden change in lighting. It's dark, but I can see the various outlines of my dresser, desk, and closet, all things that couldn't possibly be in Brittany's room.

Fuck! It was all a dream.

I feel dampness in between my legs and slide my hand down, past my stomach, to feel my soaked underwear. My body is aching for release and with a quick glance at my alarm clock, I see that it's only 6 am.

Great, add sexually frustrated to the whirlwind of emotions I've been feeling lately. I roll over onto my side, too drained to change, and pray that I'll be able to fall back asleep.

* * *

When I wake up again it's 10 am and thankfully, I feel well rested. I do a quick stretch and go to the bathroom to wash my face, heading to the kitchen afterwards. I should've realized earlier that I was dreaming. Like I'd ever skip a meal.

I make myself a hearty breakfast including pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Thank God for my fast metabolism. As I'm eating I try to think of what I'll say to Brittany.

I don't get very far.

"Brittany, I think it's best if we stay neutral…professional." Because you have a boyfriend who's a known criminal and I'm not the person you think I am.

Yeah, like that's gonna work.

I sigh, before washing the few dishes in the sink and heading off to the bathroom to shower. The sooner I get this over with, the better.

* * *

I start driving to Black's house around 1 o' clock, texting Brittany to let her know I'm on my way. The only thing that was real about my dream was my kick ass car. I bought this baby as a Christmas present to myself and it's been the best investment I've made in a long time.

I decided to dress casual, opting for jeans, a white t-shirt and black sneakers. Fifteen minutes later, I'm pulling into the driveway. Just as Brittany said, there's no sign of Mr. Black or his car.

I exit, walking tentatively towards the house. There, I ring the doorbell and unconsciously start tapping my foot.

Woah, déjà vu.

No, no…I can't pounce on Brittany as soon as she opens the door. I just can't…no matter how much I really want to.

When she answers, I feel that tingly sensation all over my body that only seems to happen when she's around.

She has on a pale yellow dress with white flowers printed on it, in a flowing pattern. Her hair is pulled back in a French braid, leaving her neck and collarbones fully exposed. My lips have parted of their own accord so I quickly close them, and remember my reason for being here. Stay professional.

"Hello, Brittany."

"Hey, Carmen. Come in, we can talk in my room."

"Umm actually, I'm not going to stay that long." And I really don't need flashbacks of my dream. "Do you mind if we just talk down here?"

"Oh…ok. I guess we can just go to the living room then."

I nod. She gives me a quizzical look but leads the way without another word.

We walk past the kitchen and dining area, to an open space with cream colored walls. There are two large couches, a love seat, and reclining chair made out of plush leather situated in a semi circle. There's also an intricate entertainment system along one wall, with a huge flat screen TV and an assortment of video game systems.

Brittany sits on the love seat and I join her, making sure there's space in between us.

She stares at me and just waits. It's only fair that I make the first move but I'm no good when it comes to talking about _feelings_.

I clear my throat, trying to make this as painless as possible.

"Brittany, I don't want things to get weird between us. The other night, when I joined you for a swim, and then in the hot tub…that was totally unprofessional, and I'm sorry."

"Carmen, don't be silly. I asked you to join me, and technically we didn't do anything wrong."

"I know, but I work for your boyfriend and my job is to protect you. I don't want anything to get in the way of that."

"It won't," she says reaching out for my hand. When our skin makes contact, it feels like all the nerve endings in my body have been jolted with electricity. I flinch, surprised, not expecting her touch to feel that good.

Stay professional.

I let my hand slip away from hers, missing the warmth immediately.

"Britt…I can't."

She looks at me again searching for something, in my eyes. Having found it, she turns away, suddenly shy.

"Well, I don't want to keep you, you probably have secret body guard stuff to do."

Despite my best efforts, I feel a smile tugging at my lips.

"Right, top secret."

I get up and Brittany follows suit, walking me back to the front door.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Britt."

My first instinct is to give her a hug, but I think better of it, and hold out my hand.

Instead of giving me a proper hand shake, she links our pinkies together and squeezes.

We're staring at each other for what feels like the millionth time and something about this moment just feels right.

I break contact first, giving her a shy smile before turning away.

"Carmen?"

I've already walked down a few stairs by the time I've turned around to answer her.

"Yeah, Britt?"

"I've never cheated before…"

I stare, waiting for her to finish her sentence, but she never does. After a few moments, I realize she means before she met me.

I nod to show her that I understand, and she rewards me with the brightest smile.

"Me neither, Britt. Me neither."

I turn my back again, walking more quickly than before, down the steps towards my car.

If I look at her for another second with that smile, in that dress, I might just throw caution to the wind.

* * *

A/N: I know it's kind of short but I wanted to put something out there since people seem interested. Which leads me to my next point, this story sort of writes itself once I sit down and focus. I only have a vague idea of what's going to happen in each chapter, so feel free to comment/leave suggestions about what you want to see, or didn't care for. I read everything and take it all into consideration. Thanks again! Until next time...


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